Boat supporting and launching apparatus for ships



R. G. CLARK.

BOAT SUPPORTING AND LAUNCHING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 13. 1917.

1,344,754. Patented June 29, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

' A 7" 5 m5 wow? mberZQCZaT/f R. G. CLARK.

BOAT SUPPORTING AND LAUNCHING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. um.

1,344,754. Patented June 29, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7/ '59 6 wuwwlioz 56 36; C2 2 Hf UNITED STATES ROBERT G. CLARK, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

iBOA T SUIPORT-ING AND LAUNCHING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS.

Application filed September 13. 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT G. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boat Supporting and Launching Apparatus for Ships, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for supporting life boat-s, rafts and the like upon the deck of ships and to launch the same from the ship, and it is the primary object of the invention to provide apparatus of this character which is simple, cheap and novel in construction and efficient in operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus of this character in which the entire supporting and launching apparatus is carried by the ship and entirely free of the boat to be launched, the apparatus being automatically operative by the gravity of the boat load and set in operation and the lowering of the boat controlled and regulated by a person in theboat being launched.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification Figure 1 is an end elevation of an embodiment of my invention applied as a boat launching and supporting apparatus and showing thesa'mc in normal boat supporting position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the same in boat launching position.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation"looking at the right of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 1 is a detail of the means to control the boat launching and lowering apparatus, showing the same in full lines in normal locked position" and in dotted lines in released position, said figure also showing braking means to regulate the boat lowering means from the boat.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 29, 1920.

Serial No. 191,103

in a general way at S, these standards being so spaced and located as to be adjacent opposite ends of a boat B to be supported and launched by the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 3. A davit or lever 7 is pivotally supported to swing on a horizontal axis by each of said standards, as at 8, said davits being adapted to extend in an upright position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and to be moved to a position where they extend laterally from the side of the ship, as shown in Fig. 2. The davits have a part 9 to conform substantially to and engage a side and a bottom portion of the boat B to be supported in the upright position of the davits, and has blocks 10 of suitable material, such as wood or the like, to serve as a filler and cushioning means between the davits and the boat. Arms 11 fixed to a shaft 12 rotatably supported by the standards 6 have a portion 13 conforming substantially to and engaging a portion of the bottom of the boat and the side opposite to the portions 9 of the davits, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, said arms also havingfiller cushioning blocks 14. p

The davits are moved to and retained in upright position and permitted to move to boat launching position by a winch or windlass mechanism, comprising a drum 16 journaled in standards 17, 17 secured to the deck of the ship S, said drum being rotatable to iove the clavits to boat supporting position by a crank 18 secured to a wheel 19 fixed to a shaft 20 journaled in the standards 17, a pinion 21 fixed to said shaft meshing with a gear 22 fixed to a shaft 23, and a pinion 24 on said latter shaft meshing with a gear 25 rotatable with the drum 16. Cables or ropes 27, 27 are. connected to said drum in such manner that as the drum is rotated in one direction both cables are wound upon the drum, and as the drum is rotated in reverse direction the cables are unwound. The cables pass under pulleys or sheaves 28, 28 and over pulleys 29, 29 rotatably carried adjacent the lower and upper ends of the davit-supporting standards 6 and over pullcys 30 carried at the free ends of the 'davits 7 and maintained in engagement with said latter sheaves 30 by wheels 31 carried at the extended ends of the davits, with the ends of the cables connected to bars 32, 32 havgaging at opposite sides of the boat, or

from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, the drum 16 is rotated through the crank 18to wind the cables 27 thereon. During such rotating of the drum the boat B is raised until the bars 32 assume the position shown in Fig. 2 when the davits 7 by the continued winding of the cables on the drum will be moved to the upright position shown in Fig. 1. During the upward movement of the davits projections or horns 36 on the davits will engage in openings 37 in the bars 32 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The davits are maintained in upright position by the cables 27 through a pawl 38 caused by a spring 39 to engage with a ratchet wheel 40 rotatable with the shaft 20.

During the upward movement of the davits and as they approach their upright position rollers carried by .x ensions of the arms 11 are engaged by the davits, thereby lifting the arms 11 and moving them to assume a position at the bottom portion and side of the boat opposite to the portions 9 of the davits, the davits retaining the arms in such position. Sin'iultaneously with this movement of the arms 11. an angle bar fixed to and extending between the arms ll and fixed to arms 44 fixed to the shaft 12, to extend longitudinally of the boat l3, engages wit-l1 and supports the boat at the lreel, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and The davits 7 are supported in boat lainiebing position shown in 'F 2 by arms 53 pivotally supported by the standards 6 and slidably engaged between pins 5 1- extending laterally from the davits, a hook formed at the -free end of each arm latching over the lower pins 5ft and maintained in latched position by the upper pins. After the boat has been raised to the position shown in Fig. 2 with the horns 36 about to engage in the openings in the bars 32 the cables 27 will have no further movement over the davit sheaves 30 with the result that by the continued winding of the cables on the drum 16 the davits will be moved to upright position, this movement of the davits automatically unlatching the arms :13 and, by the engagement of the arms between the davit pins 54:, lifting said arms until the boat is moved to the position with the angle bar 43 in engagement with and supporting the boat, when the davit sins 54 will with opposite beveled or cam portions 67 of the arms 53 forcing said arms down onto the boat B and thereby rigidly clamping the boat to the supporting bar 43. It will be obvious that as the davits are moved from the Fig. 2 to the Fig. 1 position thedirection of force upon the da-vits will deviate or change, with the result that when the stress'is upon the davit sheaves and the line or direction of force at one side ct the pivotal support of the clavits there will he an impulsive force imparted to the davits tending to suddenly move the davits upward toward the standards 6 and there will be a consequent dropping of the boat before the keel supporting member 433 has been moved to boat supporting position. To obviate this the davit horns 36 to engage in the bar openings 37 are provided. he the direction of force or stress changes during the upward movement of the davits and cause them to move si'iddenly the horns 36 will eng with the upper wall of the bar openi s and thereby hold the davits against h movement.

In order that person in the heat may release the pawl 38 from the ratrhet wheel 4 0 to set the apparatus in operation to launch the boat there is provided a light cable or rope wound on a drum 1-6 having a hand wheel 47, said drum being rotatably carried by one of the bars 32. The cable leads from the drum over a sheave 418 rotatably mounted on a stud extending laterally from one of the davits 1 over a. sheave h) rotatablymounted on a stud projecting from a standard 6 and uinler sheaves 50 and 51 with the free end connected to the pawl 38.

As the pawl 38 is thus released From the ratchet wheel 40, the point of suspension of the load from the davits will be at one side of the pivotal support of the davits toward the nt port side of the ship. the weight of the boat resting upon the keel supporting bar 9L3 will more the arms .l. downward to boat-releasing pes'iion. the arm-rollers 42 pulling the davits laterally to start the davits to move downward to boat launching position, thereby unwinding the cables 27 from the winch driun 16 and i iermitting the davits to move to boat launching position, this movement of the davits releasing and lifting the arms from the top of the boat B. During this moven'ient oi" the da its there will be no boat lowering movement imparted to the boat by the cables over the davit sheaves due to the on; ment of the davit horns in the openings in the bars 32. It will be obvious that also during the lowering movement of the davits or from the Fig. 1 to the Fig. 2 position, the direction of force or stress upon the davits will deviate to one side of the pivotal support of the davits tending to impart an iinpulsive or sudden movement to the davits with the resultant dropping of the heat. This movement of the davits due to t....c change in the direction of force or stress thereon is obviated by the engagement of 'sition the horns 86 will be withdrawn from the bar openings and the boat lowered by the cables 27. i

As the davits move to boat launching position and the boat is lowered the cable 45 will be unwound from the drum &6 and revolve the drum. To regulate and control, or stop, the lowering movement of the boat brake mechanism is provided which. is operable from the boat, and comprises a brake shoe 56 carried by the pawl 38 which is adapted to frictionally cooperate with the hand wheel 19 to retard the movement of the winch mechanism. Should it be desired to retard the lowering movement of the boat, or stop such movement, the hand. wheel t? of the drum 46 is grasped by a person in the boat thereby preventing the rotating of the drum and the consequent unwinding of the cable therefrom and the drawing of the cable taut thereby causing the brake shoe 56 to forcibly engage the wheel 19. This braking mechanism is particularly adapted to stop the lowering movement of the boat. However, the speed at which the davits and boat is lowered are controlled and governed automatically by braking means operable by a centrifugal governor actuated by the'movemerits of the winch. mechanism, and comprises a friction clutch, shown in the drawings as of the cone type, one member 58 of which is fixed and the other member 59 slid- :iblo on and rotatable with the shaft 20. The clutching movement of the clutch member 59 is controlled by weighted arms 60 pivotally mounted on and rotatable with the shaft 20 and through the action of centrifugal force are thrown laterally against the action of springs connecting said arms, the same being in the nature of a centrifugal governor. The clutch member 59 is connected by links 61 to said arms and moved to clutching position as the weighted arms are "thrown laterally through the velocity of the rotation of the cable drum and thereby check or retard the speed of the drum. The hooked. portion 33 of the bars 82 are beveled and the boat is launched and the strain on the bars relieved by the boat such hooked portions will. be disengaged from the eye bolts o'land free the bars and thereby the cables 27 from the boat.

To automatically release the launching mechanism in the case of a sinking ship float controlled mechanism is provided to trip the pawl 38, comprising a float, which may con sist of a tank 63, connected by a rod 64 to one arm of a pivoted angle lever trip 65 the other arm of which is adapted to cooperate with the pawl 3-8 to release the same from the ratchet wheel 40. As the float comes in contact with the surface of the water the buoyancy thereof upon the further sinking movement of the ship will move the rod (it upward thereby causing the trip to engage with the pawl 38 and throw it out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 40.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In boat supporting and launching apparatus for ships, davits pivotally supported to extend in upright position and adapted to be moved to position to extend laterally from the ship; a support to support the boat at the keel main iined in boat supporting position by the davits when in upright position and permitted to more to boat releasing position with the movement of the davits to extend laterally from the ship; means in cluding a winch and cables to move the davits to upright position and to position to extend laterally from the ship to lowerthe boat; pawl and ratchet mechanism to lock the winch against movement and the davits in upright position releasable from the boat to permit movement of the winch and thereby the davits to boat launching position; and centrifugal governor controlled means to regulate the movement of the winch and thereby the lowering of the davits and boat, substantially as and for the purpose specilied.

2. In boat supporting and launching apparatus for ships, davits pi votally supported to extend in upright position and adapted to be moved to position to extend laterally n the ship; a pair of arms carrying a bar to enga with and support the boat at the heel and maintained in boat supporting position by the davits when in u 'iright position and permitted to move to boat releasing position with the movement of the davits to position to extend laterally from the ship means including a winch and a pair of cables to move the davits to upright position and to position to extend laterally from the ship to lower theboat; pawl and ratchet mechanism. to lockthe winch against movement and the davits in upright position and operable from the boat to permit movement of the winch and. thereby the davits to move to positioi'i to lower the boat; a friction clutch one member of which is fixed and the other member movable with the winch; and a centrifugal governor operable by the winch to actuate the movable clutch in tuber to cooperate with the fixed clutch member to retard the davit and boat lowering movements of the winch. substan paratus for ships, davits pivotally supported to extend in upright position and adapted to be moved to position to extend laterally from the ship; a pivotally supported bar to engage and support the boat at the keel moved to and maintained in boat supporting position by the davits when moved to and in upright position and permitted to move by gravity to boat releasing position with the movement of the davits to position to extend laterally from the ship; pivotally sup ported arms to extend over the boat and operable by the davits when in upright position to clamp the boat to the keel support and released from the boat when the davits are moved to position to extend laterally from the ship, and said arms adapted to support the davits in boat launching position; means including a winch and cables operable to move the davits to and retain them in upright position and to position to extend laterally from the ship and to lower the boat; releasable means to maintain the winch inoperative and retain the davits in upright position and operable from the boat to release the winch to move the davits to boat lowering position; and braking means controlled by a centrifugal governor actuated from the movements of the winch to control the boat lowering movements of the latter, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In boat supporting and launching apparatus for ships, the combination of stand ards; davits pivotally carried by said standards, said davits being adapted to be re tained in upright position and to move by gravity to position to extend laterally from the ship to launch the boat; means operable by said davits when moved to upright position to engage and support the boat at the keel; an arm pivotally carried by each standard to automatically engage a pin extending from the davits to support the latter in boat launching position; and said arms being movable by the davits when moved to upright position to engage over the boat and caused by the davits to clamp the boat to the keel support; a winch; and cables to permit movement of the davits to boat launching position and to lower the boat, and to raise the boat and the davits to upright position and retain the davits in upright position and support the boat, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. Boat supporting and launching apparatus for ships, comprising a pair of standards; a pair of davits pivotally carried by the standards, said davits being adapted to be retained in upright position and to move by gravity to extend laterally from the ship to position to launch the boat; means controlled by the davits when moved to upright position to support the boat at the keel and to release said means when the davits move to position to extend laterally from the ship; an arm pivotally carried by each standard movable by the davits to engage over and clamp the boat to the keel support when the davits are moved to upright position and released from boat clamping position by the davits when moved to position to extend laterally from the ship and to automatically engage pins projecting from the davits to support the davits in boat launching position; a winch including a cable for each davit; and means to connect the boat to the cables and cooperate with the davits to control the movements of the davits, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. Boat supporting and launching apparatus for ships, comprising in combination a pair of standards to be fixed to the ship; a davit pivotally supported by each of the standards; a winch; a pair of cables to move the davits to and retain them in upright position, said davits having means to engage one side and the bottom of a boat adjacent opposite ends when in upright position; an arm pivotally carried by each of the standards to hold the davits in boat launching position; an arm pivotally carried by each standard adapted to engage at the side of theboat opposite to the davits; a support carried by said latter arms to support the boat at the keel; and a roller carried by each of said latter arms to engage the davits to move said arms with the support carried thereby into boat supporting position as the davits are moved to upright position and permit said arms to move to boat releasing position with the movement of the davits as they are released by the winch cables and move to boat launching position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In boat supporting and launching apparatus for ships, davits supported to be moved to position to extend upright or laterally irom the ship; a pivotally supported bar to engage and support the boat at the keel moved to and maintained in boat sup porting position by the davits when the latter are moved to upright position, and said bar being adapted to move by gravity to boat releasing position with the movement of the davits to position to extend laterally from the ship; and pivotally supported arms to extend over the boat and operable by the davits when in upright position to clamp the boat to the keel support, and re leased from the boat by the (hvits when the latter are moved to positionto extend laterally from the ship, and said arms adapted to support the davits in said latter position.

8. In boat supporting and launching apparatus for ships, davits supported to be moved to position to extend upright or laterally from the ship; means to engage and support the boat at the keel moved to and maintained in boat supporting position by the davits when the latter are moved to upright position, and said means being moved to position to extend laterally from adapted to be released from the boat with the ship, and said means being adapted to 10 the movement of the davits to position to support the davits in said latter position. extend laterally from the ship; and means Signed at the city of New York, in the operable by the davits When in upright p0- county of New York, and State of New sition to engage over and clamp the boat York, this 29th day of August, 1917.

to the keel support, and released from the boat by the clavits when the latter are ROBERT G. CLARK. 

